What's the Real Problem?

A lot of Christians I know are preoccupied with the subject of sin, whether it's their own personal sin that they haven't learned to overcome yet or whether it's someone else's sin for which they find offensive or have been victimized by. It may even be the sin of a nation, present or past. Whatever the context, a lot of discussion seems to center around the topic of sin.

However, sin is not the real problem. God does not have a problem with our sin. Doesn't that sound like heresy? Why do I make that statement? The reason why God doesn't have a problem with sin is because He sent His Son Jesus Christ to take care of the sin problem. When Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of the world, sin no longer became a problem for God. Does that mean He likes sin? No! Does that mean God is okay with people sinning? No! (Romans 6) I said God does not have a problem with sin because the problem has been solved. Now that all of our sins have been forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, God the Father no longer has a problem with sin, it's no longer a barrier between us and Him.

So then, if sin is not the problem (and it is not) then what's the real problem? The real problem is not sin, the real problem is self. Any sinful act, behavior or thought all revolves around the self: 

• Self-Centeredness
• Selfishness
• Self-Promotion
• Self-Indulgence
• Self-Pleasure

Any act of disobedience to God is rooted in the self. That's why Jesus said that the first requirement to be His disciple was to deny yourself (Matthew 16). Not deny sin, deny self.

I would challenge each and every one of us to examine our hearts and see where the spirit of self has taken root. If you are wrestling with some area of sin, ask the Holy Spirit to show you "the root" of your disobedience by exposing what it is in your self that makes you show more allegiance to you than to God. If you're a Christian, we know you're convicted by your sinful actions (John 16); but if you haven't addressed the part of your self that's sponsoring the sin in the first place, your behavior won't change. Let's quit getting preoccupied with the sin; let's start to deal with the self--the real problem!